Katherine Johnson was a mathematician, whose calculations of orbital mechanics at NASA led to the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. At a young age, she already loved math. At age 15, she started college and began studying mathematics. When Katherine was 35, she began working for NASA (at the time, NACA). She would eventually become the first woman to ever receive credit for a research report in the Flight Research Division of NACA. She was also called upon to work on the flight path for the orbital mission of John Glenn who would become the first man to orbit the Earth.

NASA. “Katherine Johnson Biography.” NASA, NASA, 24 Feb. 2020, www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography.